With the promise of hotter temperatures, whether it's summer or sun-filled vacation time, it's always a good idea to get a head start on boosting your vitamin D, and prepare for tanning days ahead. These sun-savvy recipes will help you to make your very own lotions, soaks and scrubs to help your skin stay healthy and beautiful without spending a fortune.

Bronze with Care
The three most important things about bronzing are to take the sun in small doses of 15-20 minutes per day (never around midday); keep well hydrated by drinking plenty of water; and to nourish and protect the skin.

Because the plethora of sun lotions, oils and blocks can be overwhelming, I thought I would share this recipe for safe sun tanning. It was developed by Alive publisher Siegfried Gursche, who has tried and tested this recipe on many family holidays with great success.

Melt coconut butter in a pot over a low heat. Add the bags of chamomile tea and finely chopped aloe vera leaves. Simmer gently over low heat for 10 minutes. Strain and let cool, then add mixture to olive oil. Blend with walnut, almond and flax oils. Open vitamin E capsules and add. Bottle the mixture and shake well before using. Makes about one litre.

Summer Soaks & Scrubs
Maybe you can’t make a trip to Asia, Europe or the Middle East right now, but you can bring the exotic pleasures of their spas to your own home. Try these beautifying, relaxing body indulgencies made with natural easy to find ingredients.